Leaflet engagement elements and methods for use thereof

• US 20050137697A1
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sadra Medical, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Morejohn, Dwight P., Brandt, Brian D., Geshlider, Robert A., Salahieh, Amr, Saul, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 8,343,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9528 for retrieval of stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 modular

Abstract

The present invention relates to apparatus for methods for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve. The apparatus includes an expandable anchor with leaflet engagement elements on the proximal end of the anchor and a replacement valve. The leaflet engagement elements can be used to prevent distal migration and insure proper positioning of the apparatus.

Claims

1. Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve, the apparatus comprising an expandable anchor supporting a replacement valve and a delivery catheter adapted to deliver the anchor and replacement valve to a vicinity of the heart, the anchor and replacement valve being adapted for percutaneous delivery and deployment to replace the patient'"'"'s heart valve, the anchor and the replacement valve being further adapted to permit blood flow through the replacement valve and to prevent blood backflow through the replacement valve after the replacement valve exits the catheter and before final deployment of the anchor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises a self-expanding anchor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises a self-expanding anchor having a delivery configuration, an at-rest configuration and a deployed configuration, the at-rest configuration having a diameter larger than a diameter of the delivery configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises a self-expanding anchor having a delivery configuration, an at-rest configuration and a deployed configuration, the at-rest configuration having a diameter larger than a diameter of the delivery configuration and smaller than a diameter of the deployed configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor and the replacement valve are further adapted to permit blood flow through the replacement valve and around the catheter after the replacement valve exits the catheter and before final deployment of the anchor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor and the replacement valve are further adapted to permit blood flow through the replacement valve and into coronary ostia of the heart after the replacement valve exits the catheter and before final deployment of the anchor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a seal adapted to prevent blood flow around the replacement valve when the anchor and replacement valve are fully deployed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the seal comprises a pleated seal.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the seal is adapted to be captured between the leaflets of the patient'"'"'s heart valve and a wall of the patient'"'"'s heart when the anchor and replacement valve are fully deployed.

10. A method for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve within a heart, the method comprising:

endovascularly delivering an anchor and a replacement valve supported within the anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve in a delivery catheter in a collapsed delivery configuration;

removing the anchor and replacement valve from the catheter;

permitting blood to flow through the replacement valve after removal of the anchor and replacement valve from the catheter; and

expanding the anchor to secure the anchor within the heart.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the permitting and preventing steps are performed before the anchor completely exits the catheter.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the expanding step comprises allowing the anchor to self-expand.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the permitting step comprises permitting blood flow through the replacement valve and around the catheter after the replacement valve exits the catheter and before final deployment of the anchor.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the permitting step comprises permitting blood flow through the replacement valve and into coronary ostia of the heart after the replacement valve exits the catheter and before final deployment of the anchor.